Branch ISD—also have their own charter schools. State-chartered charter schools Since 1995 the state of Texas allowed the formation of charter schools. Some charter schools are overseen by traditional school districts while others only have oversight by the State of Texas. In 2003 charter schools in the Houston area had a combined total of 15,428 students. In 2006, over 25% of charter schools in Texas were located in Greater Houston. In 2006, Todd Ziebarth, a researcher of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said that charter schools may have as many as 15% of the market share of students in Greater Houston. During that year Houston Independent School District (HISD) officials estimated that 12,000 to 13,000 pupils living within the HISD boundaries attend state charter schools. In 2006 around 10,000 students attended HISD-affiliated charter schools. In 2015 there were over 125 charter school campuses in the area. KIPP Houston had 12,100 students, Harmony Public Schools's Houston-area campuses had 11,000 students, Yes Prep had 9,500 students, Houston Gateway Academy had about 1,900 students, Promise Community School had about 1,700 students, The Varnett School had about 1,700 students, and Excel Academy had 500 students. History of public education In the Jim Crow era African-Americans had inferior K-12 educational conditions, with fewer resources in general and less financial support from the state government and from local governments, compared to other races. Teachers of black African origin had, on average, around 70% of the pay of a white teacher, and black students had fewer teachers per capita compared to white and other race peers. Private schools Houston has numerous private schools of all types, including non-sectarian, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Protestant, and Muslim. The Texas Education Agency has no authority over private school operations; private schools may or may not be accredited, and achievement tests are not required for private school graduating seniors. Many private schools will obtain accreditation and perform achievement tests as a means of demonstrating that the school is genuinely interested in educational performance. The Houston area is home to more than 300 private schools and several are well-known. Many of the schools are accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC). In addition, Houston area Catholic schools are operated by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Annunciation Orthodox School Archway Academy Awty International School (serves as the French international school) British School of Houston The